Ringling College furniture will not be removed from any room, so please do not plan to bring your own bed or other large furniture. The College does not have storage available and is unable to remove Residence Hall furniture from student rooms. It is possible in many of the rooms, however, for the furniture to be arranged to accommodate a favorite easy chair, a bookshelf, or a small computer desk.

Most rooms have overhead lights, but a clamp-on desk lamp for your drawing table is a nice addition. Many students bring computers, CD players, fans, televisions, throw rugs, bedspreads, etc.

Before loading up your car, we recommend you contact your roommate-to-be so you can avoid duplication.

Must Haves

Alarm clock

Bath towels

Blankets

Laundry bag or basket

Long, twin-size sheets

Mattress pad

Pillow

Shorts and comfortable, lightweight shirts

Suntan lotion

Toiletries

Two nice outfits for the opening of exhibitions, dinners and other special occasions

Wastebasket

Dressing for the Sub-tropics

The Fall Semester here in Sarasota, Florida is usually quite warm, with temperatures reaching the mid-to upper 80s. Generally, shorts and t-shirts or lightweight shirts are worn on campus during the day. Shoes are required outside of Residence Halls. During the Spring Semester temperatures can dip down into the low 40s so a mid-weight coat is a good idea.

Electrical Devices

All electrical devices used in your room must be UL (Underwriters Laboratories) approved, which includes nearly all commercially available items made in the United States, but excludes any homemade electrical devices. Halogen lamps must be the newer models with covers or must be retrofitted with an approved cover. We are also discouraging the use of "tulip" style, multi light lamps that can heat up due to their large number of lightbulbs.

Cooking Appliances

Small refrigerators (under 4.4 cubic feet) are popular on campus as a convenient means to store soft drinks, cheese, and other snack foods. Please limit refrigerators to this size or smaller. You may have a hot-air popcorn popper, coffeepot and/or a microwave in your room. Other cooking appliances are prohibited due to fire regulations.

Noise

For the sake of roommates and neighbors, music lovers should invest in a good pair of headphones. Drums and/or any amplified instruments are not allowed due to their inherently disruptive noise level when used.

Pets

Pets are prohibited on campus and in Residence Halls. Allergic reactions of other residents, hygiene problems, and city ordinances make this rule a necessity. This includes dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, and any other animal you may be raising or keeping at home, with the exception of fish contained in a 10 gallon or less aquarium.

Room Decor

Painting, wallpapering and drilling in walls is not permitted. We have found products similar to "Plasti-tak" to be effective for the hanging of posters, pictures, artwork or other accessories.

Shipping and Storing Possessions

You can ship possessions to campus just prior to your arrival for New Student Orientation. Your items should be addressed and sent to yourself at the mailing address provided with your Fall assignment information. All packages will be held at the Mailroom, located in the lobby of North Hall. The College assumes no responsibility for the condition in which the packages arrive. You will need to make arrangements to store your belongings during the summer.

VEHICLES

Cars and Motorcycles

Ringling College has no restrictions on students bringing cars or motorcycles to campus. Vehicles must be registered during Orientation Week, which will provide you a student parking permit. You are asked to respect the few parking regulations on-campus. To register your vehicle at a time other than during Orientation, contact the Office of Public Safety at 941.351.4742 or send an email to the Director of Public Safety, Richard Tubbs, at rtubbs@ringling.edu.

Bicycles

A bicycle is an ideal way to get around Sarasota’s flat terrain. Ringling College provides bike racks to accommodate all lock-up needs, or you may park your bike in your room. Bikes may not be parked in Residence Hall stairways, hallways, restrooms, or inside any other building on campus. If you park your bike outside, keep a u-lock type lock on each tire.